DIY Project: Seashell Votive Candles

I love the beach. I love candles. What could be more exciting for me than a DIY project that combines the two? I just ran across an article from Better Homes & Gardens about how to make your very own seashell votive candles.

Finding your seashells to use is the fun part. You want fairly large shells as they will make better “containers.” Then clean them out with a water/bleach solution. This project requires a bar of paraffin. Paraffin can easily be found in craft stores or in your local Walmart. For example, this two pound block of Gulf Wax paraffin was less than $3 at Walmart:

You have to melt the wax in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler on hand, you can always make a makeshift one. Just don’t melt the wax directly over the heat. If you want colorful wax, you can add bits of wax from used up candles. What a great way to make use of left over candle wax! The metal wicks and wick holders that are needed can also be bought in craft stores.